Metastasis
by StannousApple
Summary: Somewhere, on the other side of the circle, she can hear it - voices are crying quietly, their pitch and tone instantly recognizable. Her heart breaks for them, because it is the first time she has heard either of them like this. 'Loke...Aquarius...' The figure in the door smiles, white teeth flashing in the dark. "And with that, the first...is born."
1. Chapter 1

**Fairy Tail isn't mine. Oh well~**

* * *

Her hands are red.

Bright scarlet and dark maroon clash all over her open palms, merging and swirling together to drip quietly onto the wet floor over delicate fingers.

_How many?_

She can't even remember. They sprawl all across the crimson room, lying facedown in a dark mess of twisted limbs and mangled flesh. Abruptly she lurches to the side and vomits, trying desperately to quiet the echoing screams in her ears.

_How many died just like this?_

She falls to the ground and almost drops her keys, fingers slipping over the warm stickiness of blood. For a single sickening moment some twisted part of her finds the red splatters oddly beautiful, admires them like they are some kind of exotic flowers - then she vomits again, tears burning in her eyes and body shaking with disgust.

_It's not supposed to be like this_, she thinks. _I'm supposed to always be saved by my friends - I'm supposed to be the too weak to do anything._

Her hands are trembling when the tears start falling faster, each drop swirling with burgundy when it hits the floor.

_I wasn't supposed to kill anyone._

Something moves behind her and she freezes instantly, her fist clenching over the slick metal of her keyring.

"Stop," she says clearly, surprising herself when her voice does not shake. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to die. I won't kill you."

His eyes are a clear, deep blue, and when she turns to look at him she can see his black guild mark on the side of his neck. He takes a careful, slow step back, then says a single word that destroys her.

"Liar."

Her heart clenches painfully and she closes her eyes, trying her hardest to fight back the sudden, terrifying urge to kill him, to tear him apart, to consume him - and then she hears _it_, loud and fierce and demanding.

_KILL HIM. RIP HIS FLESH TO PIECES!_

"Stop," she gasps, clamping her hands over her ears. "Stop it!"

_Kill him_, it whispers again, this time quiet and almost sweet. _Kill..._

Her eyes fly open and she screams, because suddenly he is suspended above her, flesh cleaving open on its own - a wave of crimson showers down on her and splatters all over the walls as dark, wet shapes fly from his body and explode in red fountains in midair. Then his body cracks and bends over her head, twisting hideously like some kind of gigantic worm, each twist tearing bones through the skin -

"STOP!" she shrieks, tearing frantically at herself as organ after organ bursts like grotesque balloons, spilling ruby liquid all over her body and filling her mouth with the iron taste of death. Again and again blood washes over her and she screams, closing her eyes as tightly as she can to escape.

For a moment there is only cracking and squelching, but then, all too suddenly, there is silence. The body drops almost gently to the ground by her feet and she collapses, tears streaming down her bloodstained face.

_Don't you feel good...?_ it croons, and she gags emptily, bile burning in her throat but refusing to come any farther.

"No," she protests weakly, panting. "I'm...a monster."

_Liar_, it jeers, and she almost screams at the second use of that one, accusing word.

"Why...me?" she hisses, fighting back another wave of nausea.

The body slowly rises into the air before her, empty eye sockets and bloody hole of a mouth giving her a macabre smile.

_Why, don't you know? It's because you made me, Mother._

Voices come from somewhere and she hurriedly stumbles to her feet, then limps to the open doorway. She can hear hurried footsteps, shouting. They will arrive soon, she realizes.

"Impossible," she says, fingering her keys carefully. "I have nothing to do with something as disgusting as you." Her hands are shaking again as she struggles to open a gate - _anything will help_, she thinks fiercely, and thrusts a random key into the air in front of her.

_Does this mean I get to kill them all again?_ It asks, giggling._ I'll be sure to paint them beautiful shades of red for you, Mother._

She falters, eyes wide in fear, and lets the keys drop.

"What...are you? How can you do this?" she asks, her voice small and afraid.

"How can you kill so many and feel nothing at all?"

_What are you talking about, Mother? After all, it was YOU who killed them, right?_

"N-no...Stop - It wasn't me - "

_I wonder what your friends think, now that you've SLAUGHTERED all these people? Now that you've broken one of their most sacred rules?_

"It wasn't - It wasn't me! I - "

_They're here! PlaYTimE, MomMY!_

"No! Don't - RUN! GET AWAY!" she screams urgently, and she can only just see surprise in dozens of eyes before it is over.

Instantly the girl in front falls, her chest bulging and swelling with sinuous, serpentine shapes before it bursts, splattering everything with flesh and blood. For a second she looks down in shock at herself, eyes widening at the sight of exposed, pulsing muscle and torn entrails, before she collapses.

"KYAAA!"

"M-MONSTER!"

She can do nothing but watch as they fall one after the other, the air suddenly full of red spray and flying pieces of pink viscera. A few of them manage to reach the open door before it catches them and drags them screaming to the floor, where they claw desperately for a hold on the blood-soaked carpet. She looks away when they die like all the others, shouting and shrieking for mercy, her face wet with briny tears.

_Please, let this be a dream. Wake up...Wake up...Wake up..._ she chants, trying hard to ignore the wet sensation of bodies against her skin, the stickiness of blood and pus oozing through her hair, the sound of lives disappearing all around her. _Please. Save me._

Then there is a voice, achingly familiar, that breaks through her reverie.

"L-Lucy...?"

_It can't be. He shouldn't be here -_

But then, she sees it. A flash of unmistakable bright pink through the red.

"...Natsu...?"

* * *

She wakes screaming, then tumbles to the floor in a confused mess of sheets and limbs.

The pink ceiling overhead is familiar and she realizes after a few panicked seconds that she is at home.

Home. The word makes her feel wonderfully safe and relieved and she exhales slowly, smiling to herself.

Just a dream, she thinks gratefully, and bursts into laughter. Gods, for her to be so scared over nothing - she snickers at her own foolishness and disentangles herself from her blankets, still grinning. When she walks into her kitchen, she is surprised to see a red-haired woman sitting in one of her chairs, looking very serious.

"Are you feeling okay, Lucy?" the woman asks, her brown eyes full of concern and worry.

"Erza!" she says, grin fading. "What are you doing here?"

Erza gives her a confused look, one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean? I brought you here after the mission," she replies. There's something off about the way those brown orbs are watching her and Lucy turns away, an uncomfortable feeling stirring in her stomach.

_Mission...?_

"What mission?" she asks, reaching nonchalantly for a cup on the counter. She isn't actually thirsty, but being under Erza's fierce gaze unnerves her and she tries to soothe her own nervousness by making some coffee.

"I don't remember being on any missions recently," she lies, pretending that her hands aren't shaking as they work the coffee machine. The cup almost drops out of her fingers but she hastily catches it, hoping desperately that Erza hasn't noticed.

"...I see," Erza says finally, and she gets up to leave. "Well, it seems you're healthy enough," she continues almost carefully. "I'll be going now. Come to the guild later, alright? Natsu and Gray want to talk to you."

And with that she is gone, and Lucy sighs, relieved. Her eyes drift closed for a moment and she puts a hand to her throbbing temple, trying to dispel the lingering images from her nightmare.

"Why me?" she murmurs softly, something dark and sinister still churning deep inside her. Tears are building up in the corners of her eyes and she swallows thickly, trying not to see the phantom red splattered all across the inside of her eyelids.

"Why...me...?"

"Why what, princess?" comes a monotone voice, and Lucy jumps, actually dropping her cup this time. She turns to send her spirit an exasperated look as the cup smashes into the floor with a crack.

"Don't scare me like that, Virgo!" she protests, holding a hand to her chest to calm her racing pulse. "I almost had a heart attack!"

"Will you punish me, then?" the spirit asks, regarding her master impassively with her blank gaze. Lucy sighs and ignores the ridiculous question in favor of sweeping up her now shattered coffee mug. Damn, she thinks. I kind of liked that one.

Then she stands to look at the maid after tipping the ceramic shards into the trashcan, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What are you doing out here, anyway? I thought Leo was the only one who came out on his own," she grouses with a frown, though inwardly happy for the distraction.

"I came out because there is something wrong, Princess."

Something twinges inside her and she gasps in a sudden wave of pain, grabbing at the stone counter to steady herself.

"Princess? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she pants, "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."

When she glances up again, Virgo is watching her with uncharacteristic worry.

"Don't look like that," Lucy says, frowning. "Just tell me what's wrong."

"There's a strange magic that's showing up in the Celestial Spirit World. You need to be careful, princess. As our master, you're in tune with our realm," Virgo explains, her face returning to its usual expressionless state.

Lucy's eyes widen and for a moment she can hear it again, conversing with her in sibilant murmurs. _Kill_, it whispers, _Slaughter. Let me out, Mother..._

"I see," she says grimly. "Thank you for your concern, but - ah!"

She shakes her head and grits her teeth - bloody images are already floating into her mind and she tries her hardest to stop them, clenching fists so tight that her own nails are piercing the pale skin of her palms.

"Princess!" Virgo says in alarm, but the room is swimming in her vision and the spirit sounds so very far away.

_"Princess!"_

All of a sudden the light is gone and she can't see. She flails around wildly, mind reeling with confusion and fear. Somewhere she can hear _it_ whispering again and she shudders, groping blindly for her keys at her belt.

_"...rincess!" _

"Virgo!" she shouts frantically, but nothing comes from her mouth when she speaks and she gasps in horror, clutching at her throat.

"Virgo...! Loke! Please! ANYONE!"

She hears high, chilling laughter, feels something wet and sticky against her skin - then everything is black, and she can see no more.

* * *

"Oi!"

Natsu is suddenly in her face, looking curiously down into her eyes.

"You okay, Luce? It's not like you to get distracted in a fight," he says, and she notices a plume of smoke rising from the distance.

"W-what? I keep - " she pauses, looking suspiciously at her partner. "That better not be what I think it is." she threatens, pointing at the billowing tower of gray above them.

"I swear, if I can't make rent because you destroyed something again - "

"Whoa, whoa! I didn't destroy anything," Natsu interrupts quickly, waving his arms.

As usual, he's a terrible liar and Lucy rolls her eyes.

"Just tell me what you did," she snaps impatiently,

He grins and scratches the back of his head sheepishly, never really making eye contact with her. In the distance the smoke grows thicker and Lucy groans.

"I might've blown up a teeny part of the island," he admits, watching carefully for her reaction. "Just a little piece, I promise!" he adds quickly, backing away slowly at the dark look on her face. Then, to his surprise, she stops herself, exhaling loudly.

"Honestly," she sighs resignedly. "I have no idea why I'm still your partner. I can never get any real money from any of our jobs."

"Well, that's easy, Luce! It's 'cause I'm the strongest mage in Fairy Tail!"

She rolls her eyes again.

"Oh, definitely," she says, giving him an annoyed scowl. "You're so strong and so cool."

Happy, completely ignorant of her immense sarcasm, grins and says, "You liiiike him, don't you?"

She smacks her forehead with her palm, then fixes the blue cat with a fatal glare. "Yeah, Happy. I just love Natsu. In fact, I love him soo much that I could just cut out his - "

"Whoa, Lucy," Natsu interrupts, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Way to be weird."

She can practically feel her brain cells being drained by his stupidity and groans loudly.

"I'm not actually in love with you, idiot," she grumbles, frustrated. "There's this thing called intelligence, you see, and it would help a lot if either of you had any of it."

"Whatever, weirdo," Natsu replies, and she surrenders, realizing that any effort would be wasted on him.

"I can't handle this right now," she mutters, rubbing her temples. "Let's just go see how much we owe." She stands up and starts toward the distant, smoking ruins, shaking her head in irritation.

"Wait," he says quietly, his warm hand closing around her wrist. She turns to him, confused. Suddenly he looks serious, and she doesn't understand - after all, he's never really cared about anything he destroyed before.

"What is it?"

"Are you okay?" he asks, his onyx eyes staring directly into hers, surprising her with the concern and sincerity lurking in their depths.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she answers, forcing her features into a tight smile.

Natsu laughs weakly, running his hands through his hair.

"I just...I'm worried that you're still upset about that mission."

Something stirs inside her and she grimaces, stopping an involuntary shudder by holding herself tightly. If he notices, he says nothing.

"What mission?" she asks, though she has a feeling she knows exactly what he will say.

"You know - the mission we took a few weeks ago," he replies, his gaze shifting away from her. "The one where a whole guild was...destroyed."

Her hands are trembling and she hides them behind her back, still smiling tightly.

"W-what? I can't r-remember anything like that," she stutters, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "That never happened, r-right?"

"Lucy..."

"W-why can't I remember. Natsu?" she murmurs, hastily wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Why don't I understand? I - I just can't..."

She covers her face and sobs, her cries muffled by her arms. In that instant she looks so broken and fragile that he wants more than anything to grab her and hug her close to him, but for some reason he hesitates, his hand hanging awkwardly over her back.

"Lucy, I - "

_Mother. The second is being born..._

"Sorry, Natsu. I just - "

_Hurry, Mother._

Without warning she falls, her eyes slipping closed as the darkness comes. He catches her just before she hits the floor, his eyes wide in surprise and fear. He holds her in shock for a moment, unsure of what to do - then she starts convulsing and he curses before pushing her to the ground and holding down her thrashing limbs.

"Lucy! Shit - Happy, Go get - "

* * *

"Lu-chan?"

She starts awake with a jolt and comes face to face with a petite, blue-haired girl looking worriedly at her.

"L-Levy...?" she asks, rubbing her head. "What...am I doing here?"

Somehow she is in the guild, seated at the bar. She can hear Gray and Natsu bickering behind her, Cana calling for more booze from her right, Elfman loudly declaring himself to be a man somewhere to her left, Juvia heaping praise on her love from the upper level - the sense of normalcy makes her almost want to laugh all over again.

"You've been spacing out a lot ever since that mission, Lu-chan. Are you sure you're okay?" Levy asks, her voice brimming with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replies, seeing doubt in her best friend's expression. "I'm just having really weird dreams and they're...throwing me off, I guess." She puts on her best fake smile and grins determinedly, hoping it's enough to convince the bookworm.

"Okay...If you're sure," Levy says, a hint of doubt still evident in her voice. She's still worried but she doesn't show it, or ask any more questions, and Lucy is grateful for that.

"So," she begins, desperate to steer the conversation away from herself, "How's it going with you and Gajeel?" Levy blushes fiercely and Lucy gives her a saucy wink, making her blush deepen even further.

"W-what are you talking about?" Levy hisses, glancing over her shoulder as if checking to see if the iron dragonslayer is listening in. Lucy snorts and looks across the room at him, smiling at the pink tinge evident over his cheeks. He was obviously paying attention.

"You're both such idiots," she smirks, taking a long sip of the first drink in reach. It's some kind of foul-tasting liquor and she splutters violently, deciding moments afterward that it reminds her of raw egg.

"Shut up," she mutters, embarrassed, as Levy watches her clean up the mess with a condescending grin. Then a heavy hand falls on her shoulder and she jumps a little, emitting a very uncharacteristic "eep" sound.

"Who are you calling an idiot, bunny girl?" Gajeel rumbles from behind her, and Levy grins even wider. Oh god, Lucy thinks. This is just great.

"You," Lucy replies curtly, then looks over at Levy. "You, too." Suddenly she stands up, opens her mouth wide, and yells, "OI! EVERYONE! GAJEEL AND LEVY ARE - MMPH!"

Gajeel's hand is suddenly over her mouth and Levy is glowering at her, her face flaring with embarrassment.

"Definitely doing the dirty with each other?" Cana supplies, grinning. "Yeah, we kind of all knew that." Levy turns to her instantly, her face scarlet and her voice lost in a string of incoherent words and phrases. Even Gajeel looks somewhat scandalized. Everyone else, however, bursts into raucous laughter and the guild shakes with mirth for several minutes. Soon enough, the rest of the guild resumes their own conversations and Lucy's outburst is forgotten by all but the blushing couple.

"I can't believe you did that," Levy hisses angrily, and Lucy snorts again.

"Well, it wasn't exactly a secret," she laughs, her gaze drifting to where Natsu is fighting Gray on the tabletop. For an instant she catches his eye and grins, but his face abruptly goes slack and he turns away quickly, looking almost scared.

"Natsu...what - "

Suddenly her head is exploding with pain and she screams, feeling shards of fire piercing her skull. Her chair tilts over and crashes to the floor as she stands up quickly, her hands clamped over her ears.

"Lucy!" Levy shouts, sliding out of her seat to reach her friend. "Lucy, look at me!"

Lucy screams again, tripping backwards as the blue-haired girl tries to come closer.

"STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

_Mother, she's ready now. The second has finally awakened._

The room sways around in a confused blur of color and sound and she can feel something warm holding her wrist before she throws it off, shrieking. The pain spreads all over body, impaling every nerve with lances of molten lead as she holds her throbbing head, screaming even louder.

"LUCY!" someone shouts in her ear, and she feels large, rough hands holding her down.

_Should I kill them, Mother?_ comes a quiet voice, and she starts violently.

"NO! STOP! GO AWAY!"

Lava is rushing through her veins and the guild is completely lost in an endless swirl of dripping red and confused noise, every beat of her heart making her chest clench painfully. The hands push her down, hard, and she hears heavy, ragged breathing.

Then, for just a moment the room shifts back into focus and she sees bright, blood-red eyes staring intensely into hers.

"Gajeel," she gasps, her lungs burning. "I'm going to lose control soon."

His eyes narrow and he opens his mouth, but before he can speak she interrupts, wincing as another spear of pain rushes through her body.

"Take Levy...and go," she says carefully, her fists clenching as she feels magic surging just below her skin. "Make sure no one...is near me."

Levy grabs her hand, her eyes glimmering with tears.

"No! Lucy, I'll be right here until we can get Wendy - "

Mavis bursts into the room with Markarov, her hair flying wildly around her head.

"Get away from her immediately! That magic - it's - "

_Too late, Mother._

She is dimly aware of magic rushing out of her, of the room splintering and breaking, of shouts and chaos - voices are ringing all around her, she feels warmth slipping away -

"Oh god, oh god - "

"No - LEVY!"

"She's not breathing - "

Then the world shatters around her and she falls away into the void.

Just before she loses herself she hears a high, whispered voice -

_I'm awake._

* * *

**Well, how was that for my first try? And in case anyone was wondering, this first chapter is_ supposed_ to be disjointed and crazy, so hopefully is flows (or doesn't flow) okay.**

**Anyway, hope it was interesting. Kinda know where I'm going with this, but I'm not too good at writing, so we'll see how it turns out.**


	2. Chapter 2

Her eyes open slowly, squinting in the sudden brightness of sunlight. What she sees surprises her - she stands knee-deep in clear, shimmering water that extends in all directions endlessly, each ripple and wave alight with the fiery glow of sunset. The blue sky overhead is full of clouds that are moving and changing shape continuously, as if caught in a storm, but she feels no wind at all. She finds it all very confusing, but undeniably beautiful.

"Where am I?" she wonders aloud, and hears a quiet splash behind her.

When she turns to look, she comes face to face with a blond, curvaceous girl with chocolate brown eyes, her lips curved into a friendly smile.

"You - you look just like me," she says slowly, and the girl smiles a bit wider.

"Just as I should, mother," the girl says, tilting her head slightly as she laughs - a bubbly, exciting laugh that's almost contagious. She exudes warmth, friendliness, caring.

_Strange_, Lucy thinks. _For her to call me mother -_

Then it hits her, and she takes an unconscious step back.

"You're - "

"Yes. I'm the one who killed all of those people," the girl says bluntly, her face suddenly serious. She turns around and looks to the orange orb of the sun hovering low over the horizon, her expression unreadable. "The second doesn't have enough power to take a form in this place yet, so it's only me."

Lucy swallows hard, her vision lost for a moment to a flash of blood and death. She takes another step back, wondering how this girl - this pure, innocent-looking girl - could do such a thing. Her head spins with dozens of other questions, other worries, but what escapes her lips is only one word.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the girl responds immediately, and Lucy is taken aback.

Obvious? It's anything but that.

"It's because you are my mother. You are my most important person," the girl continues, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I need no other reason. I will always protect you, now that I have awakened. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"But to kill so many - " Lucy protests, her heart full of a mixture of revulsion and pity.

"If I had not killed them, they would have killed you," the girl replies simply. "I am not your enemy."

Again she is surprised. Not her enemy?

Ridiculous.

"You can tell, can't you? It's why you're not even trying to argue or run away. Your heart recognizes what your mind does not."

"Not my enemy? You whisper in my mind and tell me to kill people - is that what you call an ally?" Lucy hisses angrily, balling her hands into tight fists.

"There is no need for hesitation or restraint when you are in danger, mother," the girl replies, finally looking back at her again. "I will tear anyone who hurts you to pieces."

"Stop calling me mother," She snaps immediately, her patience diminishing with every passing second. "I have nothing to do with something like you."

The girl regards her curiously, then says, "Of course you do. Why do you think I look so much like you? We even have the same name."

Something blinks in the farthest reaches of her memory and she drops to her knees in the water, flashes of the past suddenly invading her mind.

"Hey! W-wha...?"

* * *

_"Lucy."_

_She turns away from the window, then grins gleefully. A beautiful blond woman stands in the doorway, looking elegant and regal in a ornate golden dress._

_"Yes, mommy?" she sings, skipping to her mother's side with a wide smile._

_"It seems your father won't be coming home today. He's very busy," Layla says, bending down to welcome her daughter into a warm embrace._

_"Is there anything you want to do today? Maybe meet some of my spirits?" she asks, but Lucy pouts and stomps her little feet._

_"Daddy never comes home on time anymore," she whines, looking hurt. "I wish he could play with me some of these days."_

_Layla pats her back sympathetically, then pulls away suddenly, her expression thoughtful. Her eyes light up and she says, "Tell you what. How about we go to town and buy you a pet? I know you've wanted a puppy for the longest time."_

_Lucy's mouth drops open in surprise as she asks, "Really? Could we?"_

_"Of course," her mother replies warmly, and Lucy squeals with happiness._

_Immediately she bustles around the room, gathering a small purse before she hops back to her mother and chirps, "I'm ready!"_

_As they step out of the doorway she pauses and her mother stops a few steps ahead, looking back curiously._

_"What is it, Lucy?" she asks, and Lucy shakes her head._

_"It's nothing. I was just wondering - is Lucy short for anything? I know the story about my name, but - "_

_Her mother smiles again, but for a second it looks strange, dark somehow and Lucy turns away, slightly unnerved._

_"Well, yes, actually. Your full name is -"_

* * *

She opens her eyes and the endless waters are around her again, still glowing with the radiance of the dipping sun. The girl is looking expectantly at her and she stares back in shock, her mind burning with recognition.

"Your name - my name is -" she starts, then halts, unsure. Overhead, the clouds darken and swirl angrily, bringing with them shadows and a cold wind. She opens her mouth and tries again, though the words sounds alien and strange on her tongue.

"...The morning star...Lucifer."

* * *

Wendy rests her arms on the bed, her eyes closed and breathing even. She can hear Lucy's heart beating steadily and it calms her, though a small voice in her mind keeps reminding her that just two beds away, hidden behind a curtain, is Levy. She doesn't need to look or listen particularly hard to know that Gajeel is crying back there, and she is sure that the other dragon slayers don't either.

"Gajeel," she murmurs quietly, her heart breaking a little for this exposed, vulnerable part of the normally tough and detached man. She tries not to listen too closely for his benefit, though she can't help her own tears from flowing. Carla pats her shoulder reassuringly, then flies off to stand next to Happy, who is crying silently into his paws.

"Wake up, Lucy," she whispers, squeezing the limp hand hanging over the edge of the bed. It feels icy in her fingers, though she is sure she remembers that Lucy's hands are always warmer than her own.

Natsu sits on the other side of the bed, staring intently at Lucy's face and ignoring everything else. He doesn't move when Happy nudges him and Wendy shrugs at the blue cat, who wanders away looking dejected. Carla gives her friend a quick, searching look, then turns to follow Happy out of the room.

"Natsu," Wendy says tentatively as they leave, and his onyx eyes shift momentarily to look at her. "Maybe we should leave. She probably won't wake up for a while, and us being here doesn't really help - "

"You can go," he interrupts gruffly, looking back down at Lucy again. "I'm staying with Lucy." Then the room is silent again, and Wendy twiddles her thumbs awkwardly.

"Not just for her though, right?" she asks suddenly, and Natsu looks up again, surprised. Her voice is getting louder and louder

"I mean, Lucy's only unconscious. Levy might never wake up again and she's missing organs everywhere and it's selfish for you to - " she stops herself mid-sentence and stands up, taking deep breaths.

"Sorry," she says shortly, and marches out of the room.

"Hey!" he calls after her, his brow furrowed. "That's not what I meant - Wendy!" He growls in frustration and stomps out after the petite girl, looking back one last time at Lucy before he closes the door. His loud footsteps clatter noisily down the hallway for a while before everything is quiet again.

Then, when he is sure that everyone else is gone, Laxus approaches Lucy's bed, pulling his headphones from his ears. Then he rolls up his sleeves, eyes stormy.

"Sorry to interrupt your dreams, blondie," he mutters, placing a hand at the side of her head, "But it's time to wake up." A single bouncing spark runs down his arm - then another, and another, until the blonde's sleeping face glows with dancing electricity.

* * *

She sags in the rapidly cooling water, looking confusedly into her hands as the sun sets behind her. The clouds are gathering in a dark, fulminous mass overhead that casts a deep shadow over her and she shivers, hugging herself tightly.

"That can't be. A ridiculous name like that - I clearly remember her telling me that I was named after her guild," she says, more to herself than to the girl standing in front of her.

"How can you be so sure of your memories?" the girl asks, taking a step closer. "How do you even know that they ever happened?"

Lucy looks up, her eyes wide in shock. The girl looks down impassively, her blond hair whipping around her head in the growing wind.

"They're my memories," she replies, confused. "Of course they happened."

The girl tilts her head to the side again, regarding her seriously.

"Oh, really? Haven't you met someone with memory modification magic before?"

Lucy can only stare back, her insides stirring with growing horror. Somewhere, deep in her mind, she feels something like recognition. _Memory modification..._

"You can't mean - "

She is interrupted by a loud crash of thunder as a wicked bolt of lightning drops between them and she falls back, stunned. The rumbling sound rushes through her ears in a powerful wave and she gasps, struck by its sheer force.

"Sorry, mother. It looks like someone's calling for you," the girl says, her face crinkling into a grin. "It's goodbye for now."

"Wait! You - What do you know about me?"

The girl smiles a bit sadly, then replies, "_Everything_." All around them, the water tilts upward like a wall of glass and for one instant, the ocean towers over her in a single, titanic swell. Then it crashes down on her body with a thunderous roar, and she is swept away in a swirl of memories and light.

* * *

He blinks in relief when the girl opens her eyes slowly. For a while he had been afraid that he had used too much electricity and killed her, but now here she was, staring at him and very much alive.

"Laxus," she says softly, and he feels a slight twinge of something when he looks into her expressive chocolate eyes. He shakes it away immediately and replies simply, "Lucy."

"How is she?" Lucy asks, glancing over at the curtain with a distant look on her face. "Levy, I mean."

"She's in a coma. Porlyusica and Wendy together were only able to stop the bleeding for a while," he answers, noticing that she shivers slightly as he goes on.

"She probably won't make it," comes a voice, and they both turn to find Gajeel watching them, his expression blank. His red eyes find hers and she meets his gaze calmly, though Laxus can feel her body shaking slightly under the covers.

"I'm sorry," she blurts, leaning forward slightly. "It's my fault that she's like this. You shouldn't forgive me."

He doesn't reply but instead walks closer, and for a moment she wonders if he'll hit her. Then he places a hand gently on her head and tousles her hair, his mouth turned up in a kind of half-grin.

"You've forgiven me, Bunny Girl," he says, his eyes sad and downcast. "I'm gonna return the favor." Her eyes fill with tears and she gives him a watery smile. Her body starts shaking a little harder and Laxus gives her a worried look, his eyes softening with concern.

"I'm thinking of leaving Fairy Tail," she murmurs, examining the back of her right hand. The pink mark there looks as shiny and new as it had on her first day in the guild, which she finds fascinating. _It's been so long already_, she thinks.

"Don't," Gajeel grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. "It wasn't all your fault. I didn't get her out of there in time when you told me to," he continues regretfully. "I'm to blame just as much as you - "

"Don't be ridiculous," she interjects, glaring at him. "Everyone knows who killed her, and you _do not_ get to carry the blame._ I'm_ the one who deserves to be hated. _I'm_ the one who's guilty of killing my best friend." Her tears are falling thickly now and she wipes them away angrily, sniffing loudly.

"Stop it," Laxus interrupts, placing his hand on her arm. "There's no point in arguing over something like this. No one blames you, Lucy, so stop blaming yourself."

"Just like that? I can't - "

Then the door bursts open and Natsu rushes in, his teeth glinting in a splitting grin.

"Guys! Master just said - " he pauses, looking at Lucy, but Laxus shoots him an impatient scowl and Gajeel simply glares.

"Just spit it out, Natsu. What the hell are you so happy about?"

The pink-haired boy keeps smiling, and Laxus finds it ludicrous. What could possibly be so exciting when the guild had just lost an important person?

"Master said that there are dragons in Fiore," the fire dragonslayer says enthusiastically, and Laxus snorts.

"Isn't that terrible? We couldn't even defeat a single dragon during the Eclipse. How the hell are we going to - "

"You don't understand!" Natsu interrupts, his grin growing wider.

_"He says they've seen Igneel."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah, short chapter alert. The next part kind of felt out of place with the general theme of the chapter, so I'm saving it for chapter 4. As a result, you get a bad chapter that's not even 2k words long. :|**

**I don't own fairy tail.**

The first time she cuts herself, it hurts for just a moment. She bolts the door and takes a razor from her cabinets, fascinated by how it shines in the light, then holds it over her pale wrist. She wonders briefly if it will hurt, but then realizes that it doesn't matter. It's not for her, anyway.

_I won't be able to hurt anyone anymore,_ she reassures herself, and in a single fluid movement she draws the gleaming metal across her wrist, wincing as a weeping red line opens through her skin. She is almost relieved when she sees the blood, the crimson droplets sliding off her arm onto the tiled floor below.

_So I'm still human, at the very least,_ she thinks, and slowly, carefully, she lowers herself into the bath. It stings a little but she ignores the slight pain and slides farther into the water, watching it grow cloudy with red around her. It isn't as scary as she'd thought it be; feeling the life leave her is almost comfortable, is almost redemption, and she lets her eyes close as she surrenders herself to the warm darkness behind her eyelids.

Then she is jolted awake, a small pulse of magic beneath her skin sending sparks racing along her tingling nerves.

"What - " she wonders aloud, and lifts her arm out of the water. Her eyes go wide with horror and she jumps out of the water, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. On her pale, thin wrist there is only flawless, unbroken skin and she grabs for the razor again, dripping pinkish water all over the bathroom floor. When she feels the cool metal in her palm she brings it down again and again across her arms, choking back sobs as the flesh mends itself perfectly before her eyes, mocking her with its untarnishable wholeness.

"I - I can't even..." she whispers, and the razor clatters noisily to the floor. She turns to the mirror, disgusted by the unchanged beauty of the girl staring back at her, and without warning she lunges at the glass and punches it until it shatters and falls out of its frame, showering her bare feet with cutting shards. Her hands are already healed when she turns on the shower door, beating at it with wild blows until it spiderwebs under her torn fingers and she pauses, panting, only to let out a frustrated scream and crush her fist into the wall. The tears are coming thick and fast, and she almost doesn't hear the banging at the door over her own anguished shouts.

"Hey! What's going on in there, Bunny Girl?" someone yells from outside, but she ignores the voice and knocks all the assorted bottles and containers off the countertop, feeling satisfied yet empty as they crash noisily onto the floor all around her.

"I can smell the blood, you know! I'm going in there, and you better be - "

"Stop it! Leave me alone!" she snaps in response, and puts her full weight on the door to prevent it from opening. A few pushes strain the old wood of the doorframe but she holds firm, breathing heavily. Then the pushes stop and she relaxes, exhaling in relief just before the door is broken in off its hinges, and a shadow stretches over her. She turns and glares up into the red eyes of Gajeel Redfox, who just looks back, frowning.

"Sorry. I just can't do that," he says shortly, and before she can reply he envelops her in his warm arms, pulling her tightly to his chest. She freezes instantly, her shoulders and arms going tense as she stands there in his embrace, but then she hears his slow heartbeat and lets her arms drop to her sides. In his arms she cries all over again, her heart aching with sorrow and loss as he holds her there tightly, anchoring her to the world she so desperately wanted to leave.

After a while he lets her go, and with an almost apologetic look he walks out of the room, his boots crunching loudly over all the broken glass. She wordlessly reaches for the razor again, and carefully runs it over her pink guild mark.

This time, the wound doesn't heal.

* * *

Laxus looks up from his drink when Gajeel walks back into the guild, his shirt noticeably wet. He smells strongly of tears, but a quick look at the man's face are enough to tell the blond man that they aren't his.

"Did you get Lucy?" Natsu asks him almost immediately, and the whole guild goes silent, waiting for his response.

"No," Gajeel replies quietly, and Natsu gives him a confused look.

"Weren't you supposed to get her? I thought she was coming to find the dragons with us," the pink-haired slayer says slowly.

"She just needed to be alone for some more, okay?" Gajeel snaps, and without another word he stalks off to a table nestled in one of the far corners of the building.

"We should give her as much time as she wants," Mavis says, her eyes dark and sad. "Losing a friend is a hard thing. Knowing that the loss is your fault is even worse."

Natsu looks like he wants to argue, but Wendy puts a small hand on his arm and he closes his mouth, frowning.

"It's not her fault, you know," he says, his frown deepening. "She wouldn't hurt her friends like that on purpose." The guild is uncharacteristically quiet while he speaks, and at that moment everyone realizes that the building is a lot bigger without the sounds of joy and merriment.

"I know, child," Makarov replies, suddenly looking many times older and very tired. "This guild's doors will always be open to her, no matter what she thinks."

As if on cue, the doors slide open and rays of light peek in from outside, silhouetting the figure in the doorway against the sun.

"Um," she mumbles, looking down at her feet, "I'm here...to see Levy."

* * *

She walks to the infirmary full of something like fear, and even as Wendy looks back at her, smiling warmly, she can't help but feel cold inside. The petite girl holds open the door for her but she pauses, afraid of what she'll see when she walks in. A familiar weight falls on her shoulder and she turns to see Gajeel looking at her seriously, his eyes sad and endlessly deep.

"Go," he says, and she swallows once before she steels herself and strides in, her feet leading her almost automatically to the drawn curtains around one of the beds. Wendy gives her another reassuring smile before she leaves, closing the door behind her, and the room falls silent. She lifts the curtain with trembling fingers and there is Levy, looking small and fragile in a mess of tubes and tangled bedsheets, her face still and peaceful.

"Hey, Levy," she murmurs softly, and takes a seat next to the small bed.

Then she starts in surprise when the blue-haired girl stirs, her soft brown eyes just barely open.

"Is that you, Lu-chan?" she asks quietly, her gaze pointed directly up at the blank ceiling.

"Yes, Levy. I'm here," Lucy replies, looking down into her lap. She feels like a villain talking to the solid script mage like this, when just hours ago she ended the girl's future with a single spell. Her heart is heavy with guilt and she absently traces the single scar over her hand, bracing herself for the inevitable despair and anger.

"I'm glad."

The blonde looks up in surprise, and her friend sits up, smiling radiantly. Even with her body covered in bandages and tubes running out of her arms, she looks cheerful and happy. _I don't deserve this_, Lucy thinks immediately, and she lowers her head again in shame. _She should hate me_.

"I thought for a while that you wouldn't be here when I woke up," Levy explains, falling back onto her pillows gently. "And I was afraid." She reaches out and grasps Lucy's hand, her face glowing with another smile.

"Because then I wouldn't be able to read your novels, or say hello to you in the morning every day, or talk to you about Gajeel at the bar with Mira. I wouldn't have my best friend anymore."

Lucy can feel tears burning in the corners of her eyes, but she sniffs them away impatiently, giving her friend's hand a weak squeeze.

"Y-yeah," she chokes out, and before she can stop them she can feel tears flowing down her face in salty trails. With the barrier broken, more and more tears follow the others unhindered and soon the room is a blurry mess in her vision.

"You okay, Lu-chan? Your voice sounds a little funny," Levy murmurs, her expression soft with concern._ You don't need to be worried for_ _me_, the blonde thinks bitterly. _It should be the opposite._

"I-I'm okay. I think I'm just feeling a l-little sick right now," she says, doing her best to cry quietly. Her body shakes in silent sobs and her friend gives her a curious look.

_I'm afraid of losing you, too._

Levy grins again, and Lucy wonders how she can look so happy at a time like this. She should be screaming at her for ruining her life, for dashing all her chances at a bright future. Instead, she's grinning as she talks, her eyes brimming with only joy and hope.

"That's okay, Lu-chan. I'm always here for you," she reassures, but Lucy only cries harder, muffling her whimpers into her hands. If the script mage hears she pretends she doesn't, and looks up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Kinda wish I had a book right now," she chirps, then looks around the room as if searching for one. "You have any with you? I heard there's a new one - " she pauses as Lucy hugs her suddenly, her shoulders shaking with sobs. The warm arms around her hold her like she is glass, as if once touch might break her, and her smile turns sad.

"I'm sorry," comes a muffled voice from where the blonde's wet face is pressed against her chest, and she frowns slightly. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Lu-chan," she soothes softly, running her hands gently through her friend's blonde tresses. "I hate to see you upset." They stay like that, holding each other as Lucy cries and Levy smiles sadly down at her.

"Hmmmm...I'm getting sleepy, Lu-chan," she says after a while. "Could you do something for me before I fall asleep?" she asks, and Lucy pulls away to look up at her again, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Anything."

"Smile for me, Lu-chan. You're so much prettier when you smile," the blue-haired girl mumbles. Her eyelids are drooping and her body relaxes slightly, sinking lower into the bed. "Smile, okay?"

Lucy nods once and does her best to smile, though she can't see a thing through the haze of tears._ I'm so sorry, Levy._

"You're so pretty," the girl breathes, grinning, and her eyes slide closed. The rise and fall of her chest slows gradually, then stops altogether, and Lucy sits there holding her hand until the sun sets behind them, silent tears streaming unrestrained down her cheeks.

As the moon rises under the sphere of stars she finally rises, wiping her eyes, and walks to the doorway, her breath coming in deep, shuddering gasps.

"Goodnight, Levy," she whispers, and the door closes softly behind her.

**I liked this chapter more than I should have...I'm not really sure why. Anyway, it might have been a little on the sad side, but oh well. Also, despite the GaLu hugging in this chapter, I actually have no idea who Lucy will end up with. Maybe I'll have her marry Wendy for the hell of it. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**HOORAY! Time for another sub-par chapter**, **courtesy of terrible fight scenes!**

**I still don't own Fairy Tail!**

* * *

Laxus is waiting for her when she returns to her apartment. Somehow she isn't surprised to see him there, leaning nonchalantly against the steel gate with his signature headphones in place over his ears and music blasting so loudly that she can hear it from feet away. He doesn't open his eyes, or say anything, but she knows he's noticed her.

"Excuse me," she says softly, and gently pushes past him on her way to the door.

"You know, Natsu wanted you to go with him to find the dragons," he says suddenly, and her hand pauses on the doorknob.

"It has nothing to do with me," she replies, refusing to look back at him. "I would be intruding on Dragon Slayer affairs."

"Really? I think he wanted to introduce you to his dad, blondie," he says, and she lets out a long sigh before she turns around.

"I'm really just exhausted right now, Laxus. I'm not up to arguing with you about what is or is not my business," she says in response, frowning. "So if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting to bed."

"Going to bed, huh? Is _that_ why you've packed all your things and left them in the hallway?" he replies smartly, and she groans.

"Looks like I've got a stalker," she comments dryly, scowling. "Never thought you were the type." Then, after thinking for a while, she shoots in a glare for good measure.

"Like I'd ever bother to stalk someone who looks like you," he snorts. _I would much rather be doing more...interesting things to you_, he thinks, then kills the thought instantly, bewildered by that ridiculous idea.

"Get serious, Blondie," he says quickly, hurrying to cover up his embarrassment.

Her glare could probably burn through concrete at this point, but he simply looks impassively back at her fiery eyes. Though he's won't ever admit it, he's getting strangely excited by her looking so fiercely at him like that. _Blondie's still got some fire in her_, he thinks, smirking.

"It's none of your business If I leave the guild - " she starts, but he immediately interjects.

"Actually, it is. You see, you can't quit the guild without permission -"

"Then I'll just be like Gildarts and wander off on my own," she interrupts, her brown eyes narrowed and serious. "You can't stop me from leaving. I'll only hurt more people if I stay." She runs a hand through her hair impatiently, then stops - the movement reminds her too much of another hand; a warm, small hand belonging to a blue-haired girl.

"The idiots in the guild are strong, you know. We're not gonna die."

They have a silent argument with their eyes, brown eyes clashing with electric blue in an unspoken war that drags on and on as they glare at each other, each not intending to back down. Neither of them moves the whole time, and though the night is quiet the air between the two of them is full of tension and sparks. Then, unexpectedly, he caves.

"Fine," he says finally. "You can leave, on one condition - "

"What?"

"You can leave...If you beat me in a fight," he smirks, and she gapes at him open-mouthed like a fish. _Win...against Laxus?_

"What...? Look, I'm in no mood to fight - " she halts as a bolt of lightning shoots past her head, barely avoiding singeing her hair. He grins widely at her shocked expression, arcs of electricity jumping between his fingers.

"If you lose, it means you'd die out there," he says, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "And I won't let you go anywhere if you're just going to die."

"Hey - " she starts, then feels a sharp pain in her skull like a momentary, burning needle, before everything falls apart. Abruptly the street lurches violently and she clutches at her head for balance, gasping. His words are echoing somewhere far away too distantly for her to hear them, but she can see his mouth forming the individual sounds, shaping the syllables - and something is moving her own lips along with him, something that isn't her own free will. _Stop_, she wants to say, _No._

"Then I'll fight you," she hears herself say instead, and the sight of him grinning at her across the street darkens slowly, gradually, before the dizziness is too much and his face disappears altogether into the darkness.

* * *

She wakes up floating in shallow water, watching the clouds rush back and forth overhead.

"I'm back...here?" she murmurs, and sits up slowly.

"That's right, mother," comes a voice, and she pauses, trying to place who it could be. It is both familiar and unfamiliar, and she can't decide who's it is.

"You're not Lucifer," she says, and turns around. There is a small boy standing in the water, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight, and he smiles widely at her.

"That's correct, mother," he says, still beaming. "I am the second, Samael. I'm sure Lucifer told you that I was awakening."

Though he's smiling brightly, when she looks into his blue eyes she feels strangely cold. They are empty, she realizes. His icy orbs hold nothing but terrifying emptiness, and she feels like she's looking into an endless hole. She shudders and looks away. Then he speaks, a grin still plastered on his face, and her eyes snap back to his.

"It was my power, Gluttony, that killed Levy McGarden."

Something fragile breaks inside her heart and she falls.

_Killed...Levy?_

Before she can even think about it she is pulling her keys out and hears herself shouting, "Open the gate of the lion, Leo!"

Her mind is pulsing with rage and fury and she almost doesn't realize that there is no flash of golden light, no orange-haired man emerging. Her hands are shaking so violently with anger that she can't even hold her keys properly as she calls her spirits in order, her voice getting louder and louder with each name.

"Aquarius! Capricorn! TAURUS!"

"It's no use, mother. You can't use magic here," the boy says, laughing. "You can't do anything - "  
"URANO METRIA!" she roars, and globes of light spin out of the air. With a flick of her wrist they rocket toward him and converge in a resplendent, bursting explosion that blows the water into the air in a wide circle -

Then the light vanishes, the water is back in place, and the boy is smiling more widely than ever. He gives her an almost impressed look, then says,

"That spell without any incantations - it's really too bad that your magic just won't work here."

"You - " she snarls, so furious that words catch in her throat, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

She launches herself at him, her hands outstretched - then he is gone and she hears his laugh from behind her as she crashes into the water.

"Gluttony," he says softly, and before she can even scream a black sphere encases her, tearing away her skin in ragged pieces and ripping through her organs with savage abandon - she hears her own screams echoing in her ears, feels a chilling numbness creeping through her body - then the darkness dissipates and she drops to the ground, panting.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "If I hadn't forcibly vented your magic you would be casting that spell constantly. How many people would you kill like that, hm...?"

She can only glare weakly at him, gasping and holding her sides as her skin closes over the jagged gashes perforating her body. He shrugs dismissively, and she realizes for the first time that he's not smiling anymore.

"Lucifer is a bit..._violent_ in battle, you see," he says, and she tries to roll her eyes, but the simple motion hurts a lot more than she thought it would and she settles from glaring venomously at him instead.

"I'm aware," she snaps, wheezing. She reaches for her keys again, but pain is burning through her limbs like liquid fire and she stops, hissing. It feels like her stomach is being ripped apart by fiery claws and she can barely keep herself from screaming when the burning sensation intensifies by the slightest bit.

_I guess I can still feel pain even if I heal, then_, she thinks bitterly.

"I was there when she killed almost a hundred people, in case you weren't aware. I'm sure when I regain control of my body I'll be surrounded by corpses again," she says viciously, trying, and failing, to stand up.

"Don't worry, mother. I'm going to join Lucifer so that she doesn't kill your friend," he reassures, then smiles again. This time, his eyes are warm, and she is almost shocked.

"You must realize something soon, mother. You are more important than you think - If you succeed, you can save your friends, including this Levy girl. If you fail, however, then you will lose everything."

"What the hell are you talking about?" she hisses. She doesn't understand what he's saying, but the pain is making it hard for her to think anyway. Her eyes squeeze shut when a particularly sharp bout of pain lances through her and she bites her lip to stop the shriek that threatens to escape.

"Don't lose, mother," he says, touching the side of her head gently. Instantly the pain is gone; then he steps back and says to her, "To begin, you must realize your sin. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step," he says, then taps his chin thoughtfully. "Or something like that."

He gives her one last smile and vanishes in a flash of light. When he is gone she smashes her fist into the ground, sending a wave of water flying into the air.

"Dammit," she curses softly, angry tears rippling the surface beneath her. "I couldn't even land a hit..."_ And he treated me like a child,_ she adds indignantly in her head.

Suddenly something stirs beneath the waves and she jumps back, startled. There are moving images reflected in the water below, all of a small, blonde girl with brown eyes and she feels something like nostalgia welling in her heart. Then the familiar darkness is pooling at the edges of her vision and she lets it pull her under. Silently, she falls into the abyss.

* * *

"This girl...How is she not S-class?"

Mavis hovers over the dark apartment building, watching intently as two figures dance back and forth before her.

Laxus smirks, then flashes away into lightning and vanishes. The girl doesn't even flinch when he reappears behind her and attempts a fierce kick to the back of her head, and instantly she jumps to the side as he vanishes in another flash of sparks, scowling.

"What's he running for?" comes a voice, and Mavis is surprised to see Bixlow standing on the roof next to her. His face is invisible behind his visor, but she can tell that he's watching, too.

"Well...If I had to describe it, that girl's magic is a lot like hands," she says, her eyes steadily following the movement below.

"Hands?"

"It's as if there are hundreds of invisible hands extending from her body. At least, that's what the magic seems to be shaped like."

Bixlow doesn't reply, his face still turned towards the battle.

"It's weird. I can't remember cheerleader having this much magic power," he comments a while later, his voice even and calm despite the loud, ringing thunderclaps booming all around them.

"Indeed. I didn't expect her to last so long against Laxus."

Suddenly the air warps around the Lucy's body and Laxus hurriedly flashes away, reforming a few houses away on a rooftop. His breathing is fast and irregular and he looks almost tired as he calls lightning to his fingers, frowning.

"Why did he go so far?" Bixlow asks, and Mavis narrows her eyes.

"There's a powerful surge of magic building in her body. It's like - "

There is a deafening boom and the ground beneath the blonde cracks with an ominous creak, sending Laxus jumping back a few more feet. Then the air itself seems to get heavier, and instantly all the buildings in a wide radius collapse into the earth with resounding crashes, sending clouds of dust exploding into the sky. With several more loud cracks, the circle of destruction rumbles outward, swallowing houses and trees before it stops almost deliberately in front of a surprised lightning mage.

Bixlow gapes at the ridiculous amount of damage before he gathers himself and manages an intelligent, "Wha-?"

Mavis's eyes widen in similar shock, and she stumbles back, with no words to say. The ring of devastation is almost a mile in diameter and she can only watch in awe as it spreads farther still.

_It's good that I removed the civilians from this area beforehand_, she thinks, sighing aloud.

"I wonder why Fairy Tail mages hold no regard for property damage," she groans, then jumps down from the roof.

"I'm going to stop them," she says, and immediately a titanic surge of crackling electricity tears through her with a bang like a gunshot. Despite her spirit body's intangibility, she is not amused.

"That's Laxus for you," Bixlow barks, laughing at the smoking form of the annoyed, glowering girl. "Still going strong." Another blast of lightning nearly blows through her again and she deflects it effortlessly, looking extremely irritated anyway.

"Sit it out for a while. I actually wanna see who wins," Bixlow says, and she drifts back up to the roof without saying a word, though she has a childish pout evident on her blackened face.

"Fine. But if they hit me one more time, I will - "  
"She's using that again?" he interrupts, his mouth hanging wide open in shock.

With an enormous roar, the earth beneath them fissures and splits into thousands of pieces as the entire landscape sinks lower, toppling the ruins of buildings into dark chasms between the fragmented islands. The apartment building they are resting on tilts forward into the deepening pit and teeters for a moment before Mavis steadies it with a strong pull of magic and forces it back onto steady land.

"How's she doing that, anyway? I thought she just had some more hands - "

"It's simple, really," Mavis replies, frowning disapprovingly at even more damage. _I doubt we'll have much money after this_, she thinks, then continues, "She has many more hands than I thought. To execute that attack, she basically uses millions of them to crush her surroundings with sheer force. It's not really the type of technique I expected from her - it's really just causing pointless damage to Magnolia instead of actually hitting Laxus."

There is a blindingly bright light from the corner of her eye and she turns to see Laxus inhaling deeply, his chest bulging with the energy of a charging dragon's roar.

"Uh-oh," Bixlow mutters from beside her. "I think this might be it for cosplayer girl."

Mavis doesn't reply and continues watching expressionlessly. _I doubt it_, she thinks, but says nothing.

Then an ear-splitting thunderclap cuts through the air and a wildly sparking beam of electricity rips through the air toward the motionless blonde summoner, trailing wicked bolts of lightning. It's one instant from piercing her body - then it disappears suddenly, leaving an empty void, and Bixlow is again staring, shocked, at the small figure of Lucy down on the ground.

"I see," Mavis murmurs softly. "So that is the magic that killed Levy."

A black orb floats quietly a few feet above the ground in front of Lucy, humming and throbbing with barely suppressed magic power.

"A spell that consumes anything that touches it, even magic itself... Lucy must have held back a great deal to not kill Levy in one hit. It's truly terrifying."

Bixlow gasps next to her and she knows he's being crushed by the sheer pressure of the spell, so she quickly puts her hands up and a sparkling barrier forms around them. Almost as soon as the shield is complete, the orb oscillates wildly, emitting dark sparks, and Mavis grits her teeth.

"This girl is monstrously strong," she grumbles, struggling to keep up the shining barrier as the ground shakes yet again -_ How has nobody else in the guild noticed yet?_ - and suddenly the rubble is being pulled into the blackness of the tiny orb, hovering there for a moment before it all collapses into nothingness. Bixlow shudders as more and more earth is drawn into the quaking, dark ball.

"Weird," he says, and she lets her concentration slip for a single second before she hastily recasts her shield spell. The building under their feet crumbles away into the void and she sighs in relief, having narrowly managed to restore the barrier before they, too, were absorbed.

"Indeed. I never expected to have to deal with this ridiculous power from Lucy," she comments, but he shakes his head.

"It's not that. I've finally seen the shape of her "hands", and they feel...familiar."

She gives him a curious look, noticing somewhat absentmindedly that most of their surroundings are gone by now.

"They feel like souls."

"What!? She's definitely not using Seith Magic," Mavis argues, her fingers trembling as the orb pulls on them forcefully, tearing away tiny pieces of her golden magic.

"I'm sure I'm right. They might not be human, but they're definitely souls..."

Mavis's eyes widen in recognition.

"I understand," she says quietly, and he looks curiously at her.

"They're the souls of celestial spirits, aren't they?"

* * *

**Ugh. I am really, really bad at fight scenes. Too bad they'll show up more often after this, haha...**

**Also - tell me who you want Lucy to end up with in your reviews! I'm still not entirely decided, but probably leaning away from Natsu...**


End file.
